editorial
Illegal drivers a growing problem
How do you think courts should deal with unlicensed drivers?
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
One driver of every four pulled over by Hamilton police at a checkpoint last month did not have a valid driver's license. That's 25 percent of the drivers — passing one point during one check on one day in Hamilton — who should not have been behind the wheel.
Citywide, it gets a lot worse. In 2007, 480 citations were issued for no driver's license and police handed out 1,776 citations for suspended licenses. So far in 2008, 73 drivers have been cited for no license and 600 have been caught driving under suspension.
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Get latest headlines via RSS feedsWhy should be we concerned about those figures? According to the American Automobile Association's Foundation for Traffic Study, 20 percent of fatal accidents nationwide involve at least one driver who is unlicensed or whose license is suspended, canceled or revoked. In Ohio, the figure is closer to 10 percent, but the point is obvious: Get unlicensed drivers off the highway and fewer people die.
Obviously, having no license or no legal right to drive doesn't mean much to some folks. According to the AAA study, two-thirds of motorists continue to drive while under suspension, a frustrating statistic for judges.
But, as always, the situation is more complicated than people willfully ignoring the law. Middletown Municipal Judge Mark Wall said that many of those who pass through his court are not aware their right to drive has been suspended.
By Ohio law, Wall said, there are more than 60 different ways to have a license suspended — everything from drag racing to stealing gas to failing to pay child support to having no auto insurance when involved in an accident. It should be pretty clear the law is coming after your license for those kinds of behaviors. But drivers also can break more subtle rules, Wall said, and not even know it.
For example: "They get a traffic ticket and send in their payment but not their proof of insurance. They may not have had their insurance card with them at the scene to show the officer. If they don't provide proof they are insured, their license is suspended."
Even so, a lot of Middletown drivers are driving illegally, too. Wall said that, in just one day last week, he heard 90 cases of drivers under suspension.
Given the terrible statistics — not to mention the cost in damaged property and lost or ruined lives — that connect unlicensed drivers to fatal highway accidents, how can we get them off the road?
In Hamilton, police are planning to use checkpoints throughout the rest of the year to address the matter. In Middletown, also concerned with the high number of people passing through his court for suspended licenses, Wall and Joe Newlin, magistrate of the municipal court, operate a license intervention program that helps those with suspended licenses legally regain the right to drive. But for those who have lost their license for a serious offense such as drunken driving or are severe repeat offenders, Wall said that if they continue to drive, "we put them in jail."
By state law, getting caught behind the wheel without a license or under suspension can cost a driver up to $1,000 and up to 180 days in jail. We hope our judges begin handing out maximum fines and sentences to help get these drivers off the road.
Solving the problem has the attention of many jurisdictions around the country. According to the National Criminal Justice Reference Center (www.ncjrs.org), it's a vital issue because "this group of drivers has been found to be involved in a disproportionate number of traffic collisions, fatalities and hit-and-run incidents."
Among the things being tried, according to various sources, are removing vehicle registration tags so the offender is easy to spot when driving and enacting laws allowing offenders' vehicles to be impounded, immobilized or seized.
These are good, workable ideas. We urge our local police to look into what else is being done in other cities to stop unlicensed drivers from endangering those of us who are driving legally.
Comments
By Jeane
May 9, 2008 8:28 AM | Link to this
Lets do it like the state of OKLAHOMA does it. When you go in to get the tags for your vehicles you have to show your license and proof of insurance. Then two to three times a year they check to see if your insurance is good if not they come to your home and take your tags off your vehicle and when you get insurance you get your tags back but wait you have to bring something in with a current address (like a utility bill) in with you to get tags.
By Jeane
May 9, 2008 8:28 AM | Link to this
Lets do it like the state of OKLAHOMA does it. When you go in to get the tags for your vehicles you have to show your license and proof of insurance. Then two to three times a year they check to see if your insurance is good if not they come to your home and take your tags off your vehicle and when you get insurance you get your tags back but wait you have to bring something in with a current address (like a utility bill) in with you to get tags.
By Jeane
May 9, 2008 8:28 AM | Link to this
Lets do it like the state of OKLAHOMA does it. When you go in to get the tags for your vehicles you have to show your license and proof of insurance. Then two to three times a year they check to see if your insurance is good if not they come to your home and take your tags off your vehicle and when you get insurance you get your tags back but wait you have to bring something in with a current address (like a utility bill) in with you to get tags.
By BLou
May 7, 2008 2:18 PM | Link to this
Why not suspend for non-support? If the paying parent is working, why hasn’t his wage been garnished by the CSEA? If the paying parent is working for cash ‘under-the-table,’ toss him/her in jail. The child isn’t going to get any support any way. Toss the illegal immigrants in jail too. Many illegals work for cash and are responsible for many illegitimate children being born. Cancellation for non-payment does NOT make one a high risk driver. Only a poor driving record can do that.
By Ridnaway
May 7, 2008 9:01 AM | Link to this
Again the Journal News misses the point. Not even mentioned is the fact that an overwhelming majority of DWL citations are made to illegal immigrants who’s next offense is failure to appear. Ask any cop about the revolving door of driving without a license and failure to appear in butler county. Hmmmm, if 4% of the population was committing 78% of a certain type crime would you say that merits part of your news story?
By Tom L
May 7, 2008 1:43 AM | Link to this
When people have financial difficulty and are unable to pay car insurance premiums their coverage is cancelled.When they go to repurchase car insurance,they are now considered high risk,and are made to pay alot higher insurance premiums.I believe that’s wrong, they want to get new insurance.Stop discriminating.They had a hard time paying before when their cost of coverage was less. Many people are not able to pay more,THEN they become high risk and loose their license and drive WITHOUT!
By shawnie
May 7, 2008 1:42 AM | Link to this
Why take there driving right’s for deadbeat parent!If there not able to drive ,how are they suppose to support there child!You walk to work !!!!
By shawnie
May 7, 2008 1:42 AM | Link to this
Why take there driving right’s for deadbeat parent!If there not able to drive ,how are they suppose to support there child!You walk to work !!!!
By shawnie
May 7, 2008 1:41 AM | Link to this
Why take there driving right’s for deadbeat parent!If there not able to drive ,how are they suppose to support there child!You walk to work !!!!
By shawnie
May 7, 2008 1:41 AM | Link to this
Why take there driving right’s for deadbeat parent!If there not able to drive ,how are they suppose to support there child!You walk to work !!!!
By fedup
May 7, 2008 1:15 AM | Link to this
We should in no way shape or form provide licenses to illegal immigrants,who cares if they do not have a way to get to work they are not even suposed to be here little on taking a job away from a citizen or legal immigrant!
By For Real
May 6, 2008 2:09 PM | Link to this
I believe the first offense for driving without a license should be a year in jail. If there is a second offense, the penalty should be death. Send them to the Lord, he can sort the good from the bad.
By JailTime
May 6, 2008 11:12 AM | Link to this
I’ll bet the majority of these without license are also “ILLEGAL”, therefore they shouldn’t have any kind of license. The last guys comments are typical of a deadbeat that takes no reponsibility for their actions.
By Phil
May 6, 2008 9:01 AM | Link to this
Driving is essential to go to work - there is little public transportation. Therefore, licenses should be available to all that prove driving skills & provide insurance proof.
Provide illegal immigrant licenses marked “citizenship not determined”. Don’t suspend licenses for non-support.
Require Insurance Companies to notify Ohio when discontinuing a Policy & the Driver to provide new Policy proof. Correct “technical” suspensions quickly. Punish the real dangerous violators severely.